Plating apparatus



July 12, 1960 D. J. BORODIN 2,944,557

PLATING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 20, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 1 July 12, 1960 o. J. BORODIN PLATING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 20, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M WMw/QWM July 12, 1960 D. J. BORODIN PLATING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 20, 1956 INVENTOR.

m .m Mum M 0 r 8 7 J, .A W 4 0 Y B n V 3 I right lugs 66. Rails 14 are secured to lugs 66 as by screws 68. Supports 64 serve as rest pads for rails '14 and at the same time serve as spacers which increase the section modulus of the composite structure formed by rail 14 and channel 54.

Guide blocks 28 are mounted on base plates 24 for adjustment inwardly and outwardly of the side walls of With the above arrangement, the work carriers 16 are successively engaged by the reciprocating pusher as the tank. Thus, base plates 24 are each fashioned with plating tanks, insulating spacers 78, 80 and 82 are located at each end of and beneath guide blocks 28 to effectively insulate the bridge assembly 30 from the tank structure when balls 34 are formed of electrical.conducting ma terial Each pair of base plates 24 has also mounted thereon a stationary bridge 84. The stationary bridges 84 provide substantial lateral support for the side walls of the tank and reduce materially the extent of reinforcing bracing required such as the stiffeners shown at 85. In addition, one of the stationary bridges 84 has a pair of bearing blocks 86 mounted thereon in which a shaft 88 is journalled. A pair of levers 90 fixed at one end on shaft 88 are pivotally connected to the ends of links 92. Links 92 are in turn connected to shoes 40 and 42 as by the clevis structure 94. Link 92 includes an insulating coupling 95 so as to insulate the movable bridge assembly from the mechanism that actuates it. Shaft 88 is arranged to be oscillated so as to reciprocate the movable bridges 30 and therefore the rails 14 by means of a crank arm 96 fixedly mounted on shaft 88 and which is provided with an offset as shown in Fig. 1 so that the free end of the crank arm is located above and is oifset from the vertical projection of the tank 10. Crank arm 96 connects with a link 98 which is in turn connected to an eccentric 100 driven by a motor 102 through a reduction gearing 104. The eccentric 100 may be adjustable so as to vary the throw of crank 96 and thus the extent of reciprocation of rails 14. Motor 102 and reduction gearing 104, it will be noted, is located outside the tank where it will not be subjected to corrosion. Ordinarily, an overall stroke of rails 14 of about three inches is suflicient to effectively maintain the work pieces substantially free of hydrogen bubbles.

As mentioned previously, at each end of the tank, an elevator structure is provided for transferring the work carriers 16 from one tank to the next adjacent tank. In order to maintain the transfer distance between tanks accurate at all times, it is necessary to provide at the end of the tank a mechanism for trapping the work carrier in a predetermined position and holding the work carrier in that position while the rails 14 are reciprocating. In the present arrangement, this trap mechanism includes a'pair of latch members 106 which are v 54 underlying each rail is also highly desirable.

semblies 18 and are pushed with a step by-step movement along the rails 14. The pusher assemblies 18 advance the work through each tank and thus control the advancing movement of the work carrier 16 on the rails 14. However, when the pusher assemblies disengage the work carriers 16, then the work carriers are free to reciprocate in the tank with the rails 14.

It is believed that the advantages and the improved features of the present arrangement for reciprocably supporting the rails over a plating tank are readily apparent from the foregoing description. For example, since the movable bridges 30 are guided for rectilinear movement only at one side of the tank, the whole bridge structure including the rails 14 behave as a single unitary structure and the distance between the rails is maintained constant at all times even if there is a deflection in the side walls of the tank. In other words, the rail supporting structure is enabled to shift as a whole without changing the distance between the rails.

It will also be appreciated that the particular manner in which the movable bridges 30 are movably mounted on the tanks is highly desirable. Rolling friction alone is encountered, and the use of balls for this purpose reduces friction to a This arrangement is far superior to the type wherein a roller is mounted on a pin, the latter eventually presenting difficulties because of wear, corrosion, dirt and the like. Furthermore, it will be noted that substantially no moving parts are disposed directly above the plating solution within the tank. These moving parts are mounted on the support flanges 13 along each side of the tank. The use of the channels These channels not only collect the metallic particles loosened by the rubbing of the carrier on the rails, but also contribute toward the making of a composite structure. The

channels 54 reinforce the rails 14 and make it possible to space the sets of stationary and movable bridges further apart than would otherwise be possible if the tendency of the rails to buckle is to be eliminated. It is also important to note that the arrangement here adapts itself admirably to easy fabrication and requires a minimum of fitting in the course of assembly at the customers plant; and perhaps most important of all, it enables adiustment with a minimum of difiiculty. Even though the 'side walls of the tank on which the support plates 24 are secured are not perfectly straight, perfect alignment of the rails can be obtained without any trouble. The guide blocks 28 on the guided side of the machine, that is, the side of the machine provided with the shoes 40, can

'be loosened and aligned with one another so that the rails as a unit will move in a perfectly straight path.

pivotally supported as at 108 on adjustable supporting brackets 110 arranged to be clamped to the support flanges 13 of the tank. The latch members 106 are suprail supporting block 119 which supports the end portion of the rail both laterally and vertically.

After the blocks 28 on the guided side of the tank are aligned, the mechanism is thereafter self-cornpensating. Furthermore, even though the construction is not of the highly precision type, nevertheless, it acts as such because the weight of the reciprocating structure makesit bottom in grooves 32 and 44 and there is absolutely no side play.

I claim:

1. 'In a plating apparatus of the type including a tank and a work supporting rail extending lengthwise of the tank, means for reciprocating said rail comprising a bridgemember spanning the tank and supporting the'rail, aipair of guide members mounted one at each side of *the tank, said bridge member having its opposite ends supported one on each of said guide members, rolling elements disposed between said ends of said bridge and said guide members for supporting said bridge on said guide members for movement longitudinally of the tank, at least one of said guide members being adjustable in a direction transversely of the tank and cooperating with the corresponding rolling element and one end of, the

ends of said'izmovable..bridgehmemberg the ends eteat-glide. saidt entries rectilinear in: rolling cent-act with substantiallyfiat horizontal-sun re uting apparatuses thetype-includinga work-sup orting 'nail tending lengthwise over the r 'g"" said rail lengthwiseof the comprising apair of"- rigid inverted U-sh apedbrid-ge members-spanning said tank and spaced ien 'thwisetliereof, one of said-bridge members" being" fixedly mounted t)" the-sidewalls of 'the tank amine-other havinglower ends of its legs supported on the o osite side edges tank for slirlingreciprocat ing movement length=' Wis of the-tank and foradju'stm'entina horizontalplane' to versely of the tank; a reciprocating mechanism" mounted on the stationary bridge member and connected to thernovable bridge member to reciprocate said mow able bridge member: in; a horizontal" plane when actuated; said" rail beingnrounted' on sai inovabl'e'bridge membengand power means positioned albngside. of, the tank and having a driving connee with said recipro ing a pairof supportplatessfixedly mounted one at each members mounted thereon for? supporting the. opposite stationar bridgeumember..being..fixedlyr mounted said nippore lates. *1" a: 1'l-. Alplatihg. appa'r-atusas calledioiz-riniclaini siwherein said power means is disposed below the level of the upper edge of the tank and said reciprocating mechanism includes a crank pivotally supported on said stationary bridge member, means connecting the crank with the opposite ends of the movable bridge and a link extending from said power means to the crank.

8. A plating apparatus as called for in claim includ a said new side of the tank on which the opposite ends of said bridge are supported, one'of said guide members and the corresponding .end of the bridge being provided with juxtaposed rectilinear guideways extending parallel to said rail and an anti-friction rolling element engaged in said guideways such as to restrict movement of the bridge to a direction parallel to said rail, the other end of the bridge l Who-- imsaidi guidewaysxcon'rprisen Wshape'd: grooves; and said rdllingkelement. comprises? a-- hal ljmember. formed of; a' hard material resistant to corrosion.

1 3 In; a. plating, apparatus of the type; comprising a tank and atpair. of worksupporting rails extending length= wise over the tank, means for reciprocably' supporting the rails; comprising apzair of bridges spanning the tank andispacedlongitudinally thereof, said rail's'beingmounted' Onsaid bridges,. guide members. at each side of. the; tank for supporting the lower ends ofeaeh of said. bridges: and

individual thereto, the' guide members at one side of the tankbeing-adesigned' to restrict movement of the corre= spbndingiends' of said bridges in a rectilinear path length"- v'vis'e" ofthe tankaand the guide memhers'at the" other side of: the: tank cooperating with the corresponding ends: of die-bridges to permit said last mentioned. ends ofi -the' bridges to move longitudinally of the tank and to? shift inzl a direction transversely thereof; the guidemembers: at said one side of the: tankbeingt adjustable in adir'ection transversely of the? tank'isothat" they may be: brought into alignment with one: anotherand meansfor reciprocatingv 1 corresponding endsofsaid bridges also having V-sha'p'ett posedb etweensaid-guideways; e

1-6: A-planting* apparatus as called for in claim B- V s'aid;i'rail's-are"- mounted on said bridges for ad'- jhstment'in'af directiontransversely of the tank.

guideways therein and 'including rolling elements dis 17 A plating'apparatusias called for in claim-1 a in cluding channel's underlyin'g each of saidr'ailjsandex te'n inglengthwisetliereof, said rails being mounted one iii' each of said channel's and said channels in turn bein'gmonntea on saidbridges; I

- I82; A platin'g apparatus as 'c alled for incla'inr 1:3 in cluding a pair of stationary bridgesspannin'g th'e tank and'fixedly mounted one adjacent each of said movable bridges, said reciprocating means being mounted on one of said stationary bridges and connected to the adjacent movable bridge.

19. A plating apparatus as called for in claim 18 wherein said reciprocating means comprises a crank assembly mounted on said stationary bridge adjacent one said of with the base plates on the opposite side of the tank, a

pair of movable bridges spanning said tanks and having their lower ends supported one on each of said base plates, a pair of stationary bridges spanning said tank and fixedly mounted on said base plates one adjacent each of said movable bridges, said base plates each having a guide member thereon for supporting the lower ends of said movable bridges, the guide members on the base plates at one side of the tank having a rectilinear guideway therein and the corresponding ends ofsaid movable bridges also having a rectilinear guideway therein, rolling elements disposed between said guideways for restrict ing movement of said last mentioned ends of the bridges-1 in a direction longitudinally of the tank, said last men-- tioned guide members being movably mounted on said? base plates for adjustment in: a direction transverselyof the tank so that the guideways therein canbe brought: into alignment with one another, the guide members om the opposite side of the tank cooperating with tlie' cor responding ends of said movable bridges to permit said last mentioned ends of the bridges to move longitudinally of the tank and to shift in a direction transversely thereof, said rails being mounted on said movable bridges and means for reciprocating said movable bridges. v .21. A plating apparatus as called for in claim 20 wherein said rails are mounted on said movable bridges for adjustment ina direction transversely of the tank.

. 22. A plating apparatus as called for in claim 20 wherein said reciprocating means comprises a crank assembly mounted on one of said stationary bridges at one side of said tank, a power unit at said one side of the tank disposed at a level below the upper edge of the tank and connected with said crank assembly, said crank assembly also being connected with the adjacent movable bridge. s 23. A plating apparatus as called for in claim 20 wherein said base plates at said one side of the tank are each provided with a guideway extending in a direction transversely of said rails, said guide members being disposed in said last mentioned guideways with the guideways in the guide members extending parallel to said rails, said guide members being shiftable in said guide ways in the base plates in a direction toward and away from said rails and means on said base plates for clamping said guide members in an adjusted position therein. 24. A plating apparatus as called for in claim 20 wherein said rails are arranged to slidably support work carriers, means adjacent one end of the tank for engaging a work carrier on said rails in a predetermined position relative to the tank and for holding said work carrier in said predetermined position relative to the tank while said rails are being reciprocated longitudinally of the tank.-

25. A plating apparatus as called for in claim 2.4' wherein said last mentioned means comprises a pair of latches pivotally supported on said tank, one adjacent each of said rails, said latches each having a pair of spaced shoulders thereon adaptedto engage opposite edges of the work carrier to prevent movement of the work car rier in a direction longitudinally of the tank when engaged with said latches. I

' 26L .In-a plating apparatusofthe type including agt ank and a 'pair of work supporting rails:extendinglengthwise' over the tank, means for reciprocating said rails inguni son comprising a bridge spanning the tank, said rails being supported one adjacent each of the opposite ends of said bridge, a pair of guide members mounted one adjacent each side of thetank and spaced from the end of the tank, said rails extending to adjacent said end of the tank, said bridge having its opposite ends Supported one on each of said guide members, rolling elements disposed between the ends of the bridge and said; guide members for supporting the bridge on the guide members for movement longitudinally of the tank, means forire-f ciprocating said bridge whereby to reciprocate saidirails lengthwise of the tank, said rails being adapted to slid;

ably support work carriersthat are pushed along said rails towards said end -of the tank and meansadjacent said end of the tank for engaging the work carrieron said rails when it reachesa predetermined position adjacent said end of the tank and for holding said work carrier in said fixed position relative to the tank. f

27. A. plating apparatus as called for in claim 26 wherein said means comprises a pair of brackets mounted one on each of the opposite sides of the tank adjacent said end thereof and a pair of latches pivotally supported one on each of said brackets, said latches being arranged to engage a work carrier on said rails and prevent move. merit thereof in a direction longitudinally ofthe tank;

28. A plating apparatus as called for in claim 27 in-I eluding means on said brackets slidably engaging the end portions of said rails.

29, A. plating apparatus as called for in claim 28 where in said last mentioned means are designed to support said end portions of the rails-both vertically and laterally.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED, STATES PATENTS 1,427,877 -Weeks Sept. '5 1922 Madsen'. Sept. 2, 1953 

